Unraveling Hope
by Immortalrunes
Summary: Peeta has just revealed his feelings to Katniss. Too bad the Hunger Games chooses this time to show it's face. Peeta is chosen. With Delly. Will the hope in their hearts seize to exist? Or will their love prevail in the end?
1. Chapter 1

**Unraveling Hope**

**Prologue**

The day of the reaping sent an unfamiliar anxiety in the air. People were rushing about. District 12 was no different. For Katniss Everdeen, it meant life but also death. The tesserae supplied food and could keep them alive for a month at the least. But that meant putting in little pieces of paper to volunteer for death. Katniss doubted she would survive with what she had gotten to eat over the last few months. It was no competition to the kids in the other districts who have been fed well and prepared their whole lives for this.

The Everdeen household was relatively quiet. Although Prim and Katniss's reaping day dresses brought a splash of color to the greying walls, Katniss thought they looked older than ever. Katniss looked into Prim's innocent, brilliantly colored blue eyes and prayed that no matter what, Prim would be protected.

When they arrived at the location of the reaping, the mayor made his way up to the podium. Everyone had lost interest in the repetitive speech the mayor would give every year. Anticipation rose in the air as District 12's mayor stepped back down and allowed Effie Trinket to take his place.

"Welcome, welcome, to the 74th annual hunger games," She said with a pink lipstick smile. "May the odds be ever in your favor."

Everyone had held their breath as her hand circled once around the bowl of names and dived to grab a slip of paper. She carefully unrolled the folded piece of paper with her perfectly manicured fingers. She held it in front of her and read out the name of the female tribute of District 12 this year.

"Delly Cartwright," She read aloud. Delly was a slender girl with the standard town appearance of blonde hair and blue eyes. Katniss had seen her a few times before but had never quite paid attention.

Effie reached into the boy's reaping bowl and smiled, clearly in amusment of everyone's anxious faces.

"Peeta Mellark," Katniss's breath caught abrubtly as she recognized the head of blonde hair making his way up to the stage. The boy with the bread, she thought. She didn't even get to thank him. She was scared. Scared for the boy who saved her life. Now, he was just going to die on a screen in front of her.

Effie cleared her throat loudly. People had already begun to celebrate that their kids had not been reaped. _Except for two families_, Katniss thought.

"Tributes of the 74th annual hunger games, Peeta Mellark and Delly Cartwright!" Effie announced enthusiastically and raised both Peeta and Delly's hands in the air.

**Chapter 1 - Tributes, Peeta Mellark, and Delly Cartwright**

**(This story will be told in Katniss, Peeta, and third person points of view.)**

**PEETA'S POV**

I watched intently at Effie as her hand dived into the bowl, picking out a name for the boy tribute. She seemed to be moving in slow motion as she squinted her eyes to read the name.

"Peeta Mellark," My breath caught in the back of my throat. I did not expect my name out of thousands to be spoken by Effie's squeaky voice. I only had about 5 slips in there. The odds were definitely not in my favor.

People started turning their heads toward me. In that moment of complete shock, I did not register the fact that I was expected to go up to the stage. I took a shallow uneven breath, swallowed hard, and made my way up the cleared aisle that people had formed for me.

I scanned the gathered crowd from my place on the stage. Some people were embracing, some looked relieved, and some had no expression at all. I looked over to the left, where my family stood. My father and brothers were looking up at me. I could see that the 3 of them had started wearing devastated expressions. My mother...well...she was a completely different story. You would've thought she would at least show some sort of sadness. The expression on her face was blank. Unlike the mother of other children who had been reaped, there were no tears, not even a frown, nothing. I told myself it was because of shock, but in the back of my mind, I knew that it wasn't the case.

My gaze traveled over to the right and landed on the Everdeens. Katniss. Oh well, I didn't think she would love me back anyway. I was just a spoiled merchant boy to the people from the seam. Katniss, I noticed, had been looking up at me, with a sorrow expression on her face. Why would she care? Why wasn't she celebrating not being reaped like all the others. I caught her eye for a moment before she looked away towards the ground.

I took a deep breath and tried to wipe all emotion from my face. A blank mask. No emotion, I told myself. I snuck a sideways glance at Delly who seemed to be struggling to do the same. I know how she feels. On the outside, your face is a cold, hard stone of nothing. On the inside, you are a complete and utter mess that just wants to crawl under the covers and wish the nightmare away.

Effie used her hands and gestured on either side of her for us to come closer. We both shuffled over to her hesitantly. She took my right and Delly's left hand and raised them high in the air.

"Tributes of the 74th annual Hunger Games, Peeta Mellark and Delly Cartwright," She shouted enthusiastically into the microphone causing everyone to return their gaze to the stage.

Soon after, I found myself lead to the Justice building by a few peacekeepers. They put Delly and I in two separate rooms. A peacekeeper walked me to my room and informed me that this is the time I would get to have visitors. I recieved instructions to just sit down and stay put like a child or a domesticated animal.

With nothing else to do, I began to analyze the strange habitat. The walls were colored a strange white that somehow had a blinding effect. The chairs and couches had a vast contrast from the rest of the room because of their rich velvet color.

I had never been claustrophobic before, but as I stared up at the ceiling and walls, they seemed to be closing up on me. Before long, the room started to blur and spin. I put my hand down on the velvety fabric of the couch to steady myself.

A few moments later, I heard a loud knock that caused me to jump a little, as the room was completely silent before. My dad stepped in, followed by my brothers. We said nothing. The 4 of us, just held on to each other tightly and let silent tears fall.

I was first to speak, " So I guess this is goodbye then?"

"No, Peeta, this means I'll see you in a couple weeks," My father said. He believed I would win. I didn't even think so myself. My father was a man who had hope, who believed. Believed that miracles would happen. I'd like to believe that I had inherited that trait. My brothers though, wasn't on the same side of the bridge as my father. They believed that this was goodbye. But I couldn't blame them. I believed that quite a lot myself. My father stepped forward and gave me a big hug.

Then whispered in my ear,"Don't give up on her" Who was he talking about? Delly?

Before I had time to think about it, both my brothers came and gave me a quick hug. The three of them gave me one last look and one by one slowly retreated out the door. I stared at their backs thinking, _this would be the last time I ever get to see them._

My mind wandered back to what my father had previously said. The only other time my father and I had talked about a girl was on the first day of school. When I was just 4 years old. He had pointed Katniss out to me.

Katniss? Was he talking about Katniss? He couldn't possibly be. I was sent into the Hunger Games, practically being sentenced to die. There was no point in hoping now.

Just as I repeated that to myself, the door creaked open again. I wondered if it was my mother. When I looked up, I found a pair of grey eyes looking over at me. Katniss. She stared hesitantly at me before looking around for somewhere to sit. She finally decided on a small chair, diagonal to the couch I was sitting on.

"What are you doing here, " That came out sounding unwelcoming. She seemed slightly taken back by the tone of my tone but started to speak.

"I- uh, I want to thank you for the bread. The one you gave to me a few years ago? I never got to thank you and I didn't want to feel like I always owed you. You saved my life- I mean my family's life . And whenever I saw you, I thought there's the boy with the bread. But I never got the guts to so now I um-" She blabbered on. I never thought Katniss would be the type to stutter over her words. She seemed so sure of herself. She seemed so strong and sure of herself, but her speech just now did not reflect her personality.

"So you decided to tell me now because I'm basically going to die soon," I finished for her. "And what did you just call me?"

" The boy with the bread," Katniss blushed, a rare sight I supposed. I let out a slight chuckle.

"The boy with the bread," I repeated. A moment of silence took over.

"I love you," I blurted out. I covered my mouth. It didn't matter anyway. It wasn't like I was ever going to see her again.

Katniss looked flustered and astonished," Wh-What?"

"Katniss, I've loved you ever since we were five. When you were that little girl with the braid down her back, singing the valley song. "

"Thanks for the bread." Katniss said in a clipped tone after a moment's hesitation, and left the room before she exited, I caught a glimpse of a gold pin on her shirt. A mockingjay pin. I sighed and slumped down in my seat.

A mere three hours later, I found myself on a moving train. This is it. We were going to the capitol. Delly was sitting five inches to my left. We haven't talked in weeks.

I was surprised when I heard her say my name," Peeta." I looked over at her.

"I'm scared." She sounded vulnerable and frightened. Delly was not weak, but however, she was notably not as strong and brave as Katniss.

"Me too, " I agreed. And frankly, it was the truth. Silence took over again.

It was about five minutes later when she said, " There's only twenty four of us."

"I know, and only one victor." The realization had silently dawned on us. We may have to killl each other. Delly and I had known each other since childhood. She was my first friend. I remember our mothers, bringing us together for playdates. How could those happy kids be inserted into this horrendous nightmare, years later?

Suddenly, a loud stomp interrupted my thoughts. In front of me, stood a tall, green suited man, that looked like he worked for the capitol.

"This is your mentor, Haymitch Abernathy. " He said in a deep, gruff voice. He sounded uninterested and tired, probably having to do this every year.

Delly and I both peered our heads into the hallway, where Haymitch had began to stumble his way into the room.

As soon as we made our introductions and greetings, we made our way to where we were going to have dinner.

The table was filled with dishes and dishes of food. I had never seen so much of it in my life. All this food would probably last my family two weeks at the least!

Dispite the slight shaking of the train, the food had managed to stay put on the table, undisturbed. All the foods on the table looked strange, but seemed to smell delicious. My stomach started rumbling. I haven't eaten since before the reaping.

Effie had to explain what every single food was, due to the fact that the only thing Delly and I recognized on the table was the glass of water. Even the unbelievable shiny capitol drinking glass was unfamiliar.

The food varied from green salad, to mashed potatoes to lamb chops. A bowl of thick carrot soup was placed in front of each of us. On the far end of the table were fruit, cheese, and a chocolate cake for desert. I didn't know where to start. There was so much food to choose from.

Delly and I ate to our stomach's desire. Effie had scolded us for the lack of silverware use. Delly had immediately dropped the food in her hands and picked up the fork. I however, just kept eating, ignoring Effie's constant glare.

That night, I climbed onto the cotton bedspread and closed my eyes. Trying to sleep, dispite the fact that in two days, I would be fighting to the death. I fell asleep, with the mockingjay pin burning in my mind.

**This story will not be exactly like The Hunger Games. The plot and everything is completely different and will eventually turn out to be a Patniss. :)**

**5 reviews for the next chapter?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Unraveling hope**

**chapter 2 - Let the 74th Hunger Games begin!**

**A/N at the end.**

**Disclamer: All I want for christmas is my own Peeta! But too bad :(**

* * *

><p><strong>Peeta's P.O.V<strong>

I was awoken by a loud bang outside my door.

"Wake up! We haven't got all day you know," said a slightly slurred voice whom I guessed belonged to Haymitch.

I groaned and rubbed my eyes. Then got up to face the incredibly long day ahead.

I got to breakfast at about the same time as Delly. Haymitch must've given her the same slurred wake-up call as well.

The highlight of the entire breakfast was the cup of orange juice I got to myself. Once, in the bakery, after a lot of begging to my mother, my brothers and I got to share a cup of orange juice made from the few oranges my father had traded home.

The rest of the breakfast consisted of a forced conversation between Delly, Effie, and I. Haymitch mostly kept to himself, except the occasional loudly expressed comment. As soon as it was announced that we were in the capitol, everyone's face broke into a relieved expression, even Delly and I, dispite the fact that we were getting closer to the games. Effie, however, kept a huge grin on her face.

* * *

><p>Once in the capitol, they told us we had to go train. This is it, I thought. The real thing. The impact of the realization, of how r<strong>eal<strong> this is, scared me to no end.

All twenty four of us were placed in a darkish grey room. Surrounding us were weapons, plants, and all kinds of different things to prepare us for the games. I eyed some of the other tributes. I could immediately spot the careers. They stood out like a sore thumb. They looked big, strong, and I could feel myself being intimidated.

A loud squeak over the speaker caused us all to cover our ears. An enthusiastic voice chirped over the speaker, instructing us to separate into the stations. I headed over to the knot tying first. There was a diagram on different types of knots. I mastered a few of the basic. And one each of the intermediate and advanced. Frustrated at the thought of tying more unsuccessful knots, I decided to go to another station.

The next station was plants. Telling which ones were edible and which ones weren't. I am pretty good at that. My family owned a bakery. I was surrounded by food, not ones we could eat though, pretty much 24/7. Although I baked, I had become familiar with other types of food, during the times when not many people came by the bakery.

I gulped. The next station was the fighting station. I walked over to it cautiously and picked up a weapon. Wrestling was more my strong suit, but how could you wrestle to death when your opponent, more likely than not, has a weapon.

I did unbelievebly better than I had thought. I had even beat a career. One of the smaller ones though. And although we had protective gear on, he looked pretty hurt. Or maybe it was just because of the fact that he had been beat by a non-career. Never-the-less, I was quite satisfied with myself.

A loud sound, echoed through the room. The same voice as before, announced that it was time to test our training scores.

I waited and waited to be called in with a just as anxious Delly beside me. When they finally called me in, I picked up some rope and tied it into the one advanced knot I had learned. The people who were judging looked bored out of their minds. Another set-back to being from the last district. I decided to do something with more action. I picked up and threw some large cement filled sacks around and worked with a weapon. That seemed to wake them up. To finish off, I quickly sorted the plants into non edible and edible.

Just as I walked out, Delly stood up and walked through the still swinging doors. I became nervous as to what score I would get. It would be televised through all of Panem.

Delly and I huddled next to the small screen that would show our score. We had finished "testing" half an hour ago, and we were about to see the results.

Peeta Mellark - 9, they showed a couple pictures of me.

Delly Cartwright - 7.

A nine wasn't so bad. It proved that I still had a chance. What would my family think of my score? What would **Katniss** think?

* * *

><p>After we watched the televised version,we were lead to an echoey white hallway. I've had enough white to last a lifetime, after being in the justice building. It was strange to me how the people in the capitol dressed so colorfully but had such little color in their architecture.<p>

It felt like an eternity before we stopped at two doorways on either side of the hall. Haymitch pulled Delly and I to the side.

"You are going to meet you stylists. My advice to you, no matter what they do, don't resist. Trust me, the ridiculous outfits will help you,"He warned,"eventually."

"Delly, you go to that room to the left,"Haymitch put a hand on my shoulder to stop me from following,"Peeta, you are on the right."

I nodded and stepped into the room opposite the way Delly went. This room was the most colorful thing I have seen in the past few hours.

The walls were covered in pictures of the capitol's ridiculous looking get-ups and outfits of the past tributes. Lining the walls were strange looking contraptions. I spotted one that had an extremely sharp looking point. I hope they wouldn't be using that on me. I shuddered involuntarily at the thought.

Two women and two men suddenly appeared in front of me. I was so captured in the strangeness in this room that I did not hear them come in.

"Are you my stylists?" I asked hesitantly. They smiled, concealing a laugh, and looked at each other as if sharing a private joke.

One of the women stepped forward,"No silly, we are you prep team. Your stylist will be arriving after we're done with you." _Done with you? _I gulped.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, I found myself scrubed and polished head to toe, down to every inch. They washed and brushed my hair, and applied weird smelling capitol ointment that I couldn't possibly afford back in District 12 to the small burns on my arm due to the excessive baking I did at home. They also removed what they considered as "unnecessary" hair on my legs.<p>

My stylist came in at the same time they had finished. I wonder if it was planned. She introduced herself as Portia. She was not the wild, crazily dressed image I had expected. The only thing that was somewhat crazy was that she had an attached feather in her hair. She didn't even have the standard capitol accent. I guess she was from one of the districts.

I watched her warily as she circled me. Examining my every inch. It was on the second circle that she began mumbling.

"The coal miner, the pile of coal, no too unexciting,the boy with the coal, the boy with...the boy with," She had just begun her fifth circle and seemed as if she was in a trance that I don't even think she knew she was still circling.

"How about the boy with the bread?" I said out loud, thinking of what Katniss had said.

Portia's head snapped up.

"The boy with the bread." I wrinkled my eyebrows in confusion. I had said that out loud?

"Hmmm... what does that mean exactly?" Portia looked at me with an exitement in her eyes. Since I had already said it, there was no going back.

I searched frantically through the wandering thoughts in my mind for an answer.

"Well that could mean that we know how to find food." I tried to keep a confident demeanor.

"This might be just the creative idea we need. I'll be right back," Portia said to me before rushing out the door leaving me standing in the middle of the room.

A few moments later, I was embraced by Portia who had a huge smile on her face.

"I told the Cinna, district 12's other stylist, and he loved the idea. We've already gotten ideas of outfits for the interview and chariot ride." She explained excitedly. And suddenly, I was told to shut my eyes, and prepare to be amazed.

* * *

><p>Before I knew it, I was whisked onto a chariot next to Delly with our outfits on. I was wearing a standard black suit, tie and all, to represent coal. What was different about this was that with every step I took, a strong smell of a bakery and food wafted into the air. For some, it may smell excruciatingly strong, but for me, it smelled like home.<br>Delly was wearing an outfit with similar meaning to mine, but was feminine. She was wearing a black dress to represent coal, like all the other previous tributes, but as she walked, the dress slowly **unraveled** into something completely different. The train of the dress became abundant with shades of brown. Chocolate browns, caramel browns, shades that were identical to all the shades of bread that I've seen or made.

I was gestured onto the chariot with Delly following behind. The view of all the people were impressive. I nearly stumbled off the side of the chariot from astonishment. It was an entirely new experience. Strange, more so than any other experiences in the past 2 days.

We were told to smile and wave, to the crowd. Try to lure in sponsers. As we got halfway to where we were going to be interviewed, Delly stumbled and latched her hand onto mine. I, startled, didn't know what I should do. Should I let go? No, that would seem cold-hearted to the cameras. And besides, Delly and I were friends. That's all we were. I looked straight ahead, checked to make sure I had kept a smile on my face, and continued waving.

Once we got to our places to wait for our interview, my palms started sweating. What happened to the oh-so-calm Peeta I used to be? Since we were district 12, our interview was last.

Haymitch had had a session of, instructing, was a way to put it, back on the train with each of us. My angle was humble, likeable, modest, and anything that fits into any of those categories. Delly was supposed to be flirty, mysterious, and alluring. I've known Delly since we were born, as our mothers were friends, so I know that she wasn't like that. She did however care very much about how she looked, her reputation, and I know that she has been known to be demanding, for a lack of a better word. But I know that she is a nice person inside.

The interviews flew by, and before I knew it, it was district 11's interview. A little girl, age of 12 was on stage. I guessed that she probably wouldn't last very long. Heck, I probably wouldn't either. I couldn't help but be saddened. She was so young, but had to be put into the games. We are all too young. In fact, we shouldn't even be put in the games.

It was now district 12's interviews. Delly was first. She kept a cool and confident stride up to the seat by Ceaser Flickerman.

"Hello," Ceasar looked over at a small piece of paper with writing, the tributes' names, I suppose," Delly,"

Delly smiled and waved to the crowd, trying to appear somewhat seductive.

"So what has impressed you most about the capitol?" I knew that he always started an interview like this. Either ask you what you have liked about the capitol, or talk about your training score.

"Nothing too interesting yet, but I'm sure that will change in the very, " Delly lowered her voice an octave and purred," near future."

Ceaser cleared his throat. I'm sure he has seen enough tributes try this angle that it would almost seem laughable to him.

"Quite the impression you've made on the chariot. Cinna and Portia have really outdone themselves. Tell me, what does it mean?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Delly pursed her lips and threw out a look at the audience.

"What is your favorite food in the Capitol?" Ceasar asked.

"Well, what's your favorite?" Delly really was good at this not directly answering questions thing.

"The soups are absolutely amazing!" He said excitedly.

"I just might have to try some!" Delly giggles.

"Anyone special waiting for you back home?" This was the question the people from the capitol loved to hear.

"Not at home, specifically," I wonder who it is.

"Tell us, who's the lucky guy?" A sound rings through the stage and announces that her interview is over.

It was now my interview. As I got to the seat, Ceaser quickly jumped into the conversation. Probably eager to finish and find himself some soup.

"How do you like the capitol so far?" Another question about the capitol.

I smiled and said,"It's been amazing. I've never seen anything like it before."

"Do you have a new favorite food? I know the capitol has many that districts don't." _Find a way to praise them,_ I thought.

"To be honest, I may like the new foods more than the district food."

"Any special girl waiting for you at home?" Everyone in the audience looked expectantly up at me.

"The mockingjay," I whisper to myself.

"What did you say?" Ceaser too, craned his head forward, expecting an answer.

"Well, yes, she may not be waiting for me though."

Ceaser waved his hand, "Nonsense, you will be showered with gifts once you go back. No way she will refuse you. Is that your plan of attack?"

"I'm not in it for the gifts, being chosen for this is an honor." I shout at the president in my head.

"You are a career?"

"No, but I do love the capitol's generosity."

"How do you feel about Delly confessing her love for you to all of Panem?" _What? She never- Oh they must've mistook her answer for me. She could never like me._

"What? I-" I too, was cut off by the strange ringing that signaled an end of an interview.

I ran backstage and tried to find Delly through the throng of people. I felt a small tap on my shoulder.

"It's not you," Delly said.

"Then who-"

"It's not important,"She cut me off. "Now come on, it's getting late."

I followed her wordlessly back to our room**s**.

* * *

><p>Panic and terror rushed through my veins all at once. I was being brought down into the arena in a strange machine. I would die for sure. I just wish I could see my father, my brothers, and Katniss again. Just one last time.<p>

My face was suddenly exposed to a harsh wind as the machine slowly disappeared upward. I was panting. Sweat dripped down my face. I was scared. I was terrified.

"Let the 74th annual Hunger Games Begin!" I couldn't breathe. Couldn't do anything...but **run for my life.**

**A/N: I know, the feathers in hair was a big fall trend. But I decided to have Peeta think it was "weird" anyway. :)**

**This is the longest chapter I've ever written, so the next few might not be as long. **

**Did you guys hear the first song of the hunger games soundtrack, Safe and Sound by Taylor swift ft. the civil wars?**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter! :)**


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